Fusarium (synonyms: Fusisporium, Pseudofusarium, Sporotrichella) is a large genus of filamentous fungi widely distributed in soil and in association with plants. Most species are harmless saprobes and are relatively abundant members of the soil microbial community. Some species produce mycotoxins in cereal crops that can affect human and animal health if they enter the food chain. The main toxins produced by these Fusarium species are fumonisins and trichothecenes.
Fusarium strains isolated from nature have proven useful to mankind in a wide variety of technologies, including for use as food and for the production of antibiotics. The need still exists for new isolates of Fusarium for use in new and existing applications. The present invention provides a unique isolated strain of Fusarium and its progeny which are useful for a number of different purposes, including but not limited to bioenergy production, as biolubricants, for biorecovery of precious metals by biosorption, for remediation of mine waste, for dewaxing of wheat straw, for degradation of algal biomass, and glycerol containing waste products, and for antibiotic, siderphore, and plasticizer production.